Fatal accidents break hearts in 2013

Maryann Lawler still gets choked up when she thinks about the deaths of Kurt and Pam Graetzer.

ANGEL McCURDY / Daily News

Maryann Lawler still gets choked up when she thinks about the deaths of Kurt and Pam Graetzer.

The couple were stopped at a light near Hurlburt Field’s main gate on June 13 when a box truck rear-ended their vehicle. They were killed in what became a seven-vehicle accident.

“The community is very much hurting over the loss,” said Lawler, Graetzer’s business partner in Bradenton. “For me it seems that people are so thoughtless. They don’t realize how their decisions will impact others and other lives.”

The accident is still under investigation, according to Lt. Steve Preston with the Florida Highway Patrol. The case soon will be handed over to the state attorney’s office, which will decide if charges will be filed.

This year, more than 75 fatal wrecks have been documented across three counties. Most of the accidents are investigated by the Florida Highway Patrol, with a handful investigated by local law enforcement.

According to the agencies’ tallies, from Jan. 1 to mid-December, Santa Rosa County had 30 fatalities, up from 18 in 2012. Walton County had 15, one fewer than last year, and Okaloosa had 31.

“The numbers fluctuate,” Preston said. “Every crash is different. We can’t predict where and when they’re going to happen.”